Paul Peirce stories, Page 63
Somerset man able to walk away after being hit by train
A 38-year-old man suffered only minor injuries after he was struck by a train while walking along the CSX tracks in Somerset on Tuesday, police said. Kevin McDougald of Somerset was walking along the tracks along the 300 block of North Pleasant Avenue about 4 p.m. when the train approached...
Man accused of damaging car with tossed beer bottle in Rostraver
Rostraver police allege a 29-year-old man threw a beer bottle out of his car, causing it to ricochet off Route 51 and strike another car. This week, police charged David E. Millero, of Uniontown, with reckless endangerment, propulsion of missiles onto roadways and criminal mischief before District Judge Charles Christner....
Police: 2 women broke into cars in Greensburg, 1 damaged holding cell
Greensburg police say a Unity woman repeatedly threatened police and damaged a holding cell last week when she was detained with another woman for allegedly breaking into cars. Madison P. Kuncher, 21, was arraigned Monday on multiple criminal charges, including institutional vandalism, forgery, access device fraud, theft, receiving stolen property...
Mt. Pleasant tabs veteran officer George Grippo as new police chief
Mt. Pleasant leaders didn’t look far for a new police chief. Borough council members this week appointed interim Chief George Grippo to permanently head the force of nine officers. “I’m really excited about the challenge ahead,” Grippo said. Mayor Jerry Lucia said council was swayed by Grippo’s work ethic and...
Psychic accused of attempting to bilk Irwin woman out of $3,300
An area psychic who was turned down to perform a $3,800 “spiritual cleansing” service by a Westmoreland County woman last month was accused by Irwin police of attempting to use her customer’s identity to purchase $3,300 in furniture. Alexis Candy Mitchell, 25, of Monroeville, who does business as Psychic Novena...
3 West Newton brothers accused of theft by Rostraver sanitation company
Three Westmoreland County brothers who worked for the same Rostraver sanitation company are accused of theft for using company-issued credit cards to make dozens of fuel purchases for their private vehicles. Zachary T. Williams, 29; Justin D. Williams, 19; and Brandon J. Williams, 21, all of West Newton, have been...
Mt. Pleasant man accused of threatening 3 people with knife
A 40-year-old Mt. Pleasant man is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison after allegedly threatening three people with a knife. Daniel J. Abbruzzese was arraigned Friday on charges of aggravated assault, making terroristic threats and criminal mischief filed by borough police in connection with the incident that occurred just...
Greensburg Police allege woman bilked 14 customers in firearms sale scheme
Greensburg Police accused an Allegheny County woman this week of bilking $15,235 from 14 customers in an online firearms sale scheme. Jennefer Bittner, 24, of Monroeville, was charged by city police with 14 counts each of theft, theft by deception and receiving stolen property before District Judge Chris Flanigan. Det....
Proposed bill would waive Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls for police, first responders
Robert Stafford, captain of the Greensburg Police Department, admits scratching his head last year after a bill crossed his desk from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission requesting a toll payment for a city patrol car that entered the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass during a pursuit. “They sent a a picture of...
State police in Somerset seeking man in assault
State Police in Somerset are asking the public’s help locating a 33-year-old man accused of assaulting a woman in rural Shade Township Wednesday. Trooper Clifford Greenfield said police are looking for Justin Wade Hartman of Central City, who is wanted on multiple criminal charges including aggravated assault. Greenfield said Hartman...
Accused Murrysville massage parlor operator to stand trial on human trafficking, prostitution charges
A Flushing, N.Y., woman accused of owning and operating the now defunct Judy’s Oriental Massage Parlor in Murrysville waived her right to a preliminary hearing Friday on charges the business was actually part of a human trafficking operation where prostitution was occurring. Huican Wei, 47, will now proceed to trial...
Fatal overdoses in Westmoreland continue to plunge in 2019
Overdose deaths in Westmoreland County this year are on pace to fall short of 100 for the first time since 2014, according to Coroner Ken Bacha’s office. Overdose deaths drastically fell in 2018 by 37 percent from a record 193 in 2017 to 122 last year, and the number of...
Police: Latrobe man killed in motorcycle crash
A 51-year-old Latrobe man was killed Thursday afternoon after a motorcycle crash, police said. Kevin Seremet was taken to Excela Latrobe Hospital where he was pronounced dead after officials responded to the intersection of Depot and Alexandria streets for a crash between a motorcycle and a car. According to Westmoreland...
Cops: Fugitive, girlfriend discovered inside tent in Unity with meth
A search Thursday for a 29-year-old Latrobe area man wanted for failing to comply with court-mandated drug tests as part of his probation led the Westmoreland County sheriff’s deputies to a tent in Unity Township. Inside the tent behind a residence on Dogwood Lane, deputies Robby Orbin and Frank Neal...
Police seize estimated $2M in heroin from SUV on turnpike in Somerset CountyVideo
State police this week seized an estimated $2 million of suspected heroin after pulling over an SUV driven by a Philadelphia woman along the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Somerset County. Ana Rodriguez Gonzalez, 41, was stopped by the Troop A Community Enforcement Team for an undisclosed traffic violation along the toll...
Michigan men arrested in Virginia linked to $5K electronics theft at Walmart near Delmont
Murrysville police have obtained arrest warrants for three Michigan men they claim stole more than $5,000 worth of electronics at the Walmart store near Delmont in January. Shawn T. Acklin, 27, and Adarius D. Ferguson, 28, both of Benton Harbor, and Brandon L. Franklin, 23, of Detroit, are charged with...
Bridge ordered closed in Unity Township
Unity Township Supervisors Tuesday closed a bridge that carries Buffenmeyer Road over the Norfolk Southern Railroad for motorist safety. The emergency closure of the bridge followed a result of a recent inspection. PennDOT reported that the road will remain closed until further notice. The detour uses Route 1026, also known...
Man accused of causing disturbance, fighting with Monessen Police
A 46-year-old Monessen man was accused of fighting with city police, kicking one in the stomach, as he was taken into custody Tuesday when officers responded to a report of a disturbance inside an apartment building. Kyle R. Ross was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, defiant trespass,...
Saturday start to 2019 deer hunting season might not be permanent
Much like the split vote to allow deer hunting to start the Saturday after Thanksgiving, differences of public opinion has the Pennsylvania Game Commission already agreeing to re-examine the controversial issue after this year. After 55 years of opening the Monday after Thanksgiving, the commission voted 5-3 on April 8...
Troopers look to identify woman accused of keying car at Unity Walmart
State police in Greensburg are trying to identity of a woman accused of keying another woman’s car outside Walmart in Unity during a dispute over a parking space. According to Trooper Daniel Poponick, a woman entered the store’s parking lot about 10:50 a.m. Thursday, located a parking space and then...
Hearing witnesses recount bloody scene inside North Belle Vernon bar where 3 stabbed
Multiple people Monday recounted a gruesome scene inside a North Belle Vernon bar early March 7 when a Washington County man is accused of stabbing three people. Christopher Chambers, one of the stabbing victims at Just A Tavern on Broad Avenue, told District Judge Charles Christner of Rostraver it took...
Murrysville massage parlor owner ordered back to jail
A Mt. Pleasant woman accused of being part of a human trafficking and prostitution ring through four massage parlors she ran in Monroeville and Murrysville is back in jail on allegations she threatened a co-defendant. Hui Xu, 44, who state police allege owned and operated four Tokyo Massage parlors where...
Former treasurer of Derry church accused of stealing $20K
A Salem Township woman was arrested Thursday on allegations that she stole $20,000 from a Derry Borough church where she worked. Teri E. Sauers, 35, was arraigned on charges of theft and receiving stolen property filed by Westmoreland County Detective Will Brown. District Judge Mark Bilik released Sauers on recognizance...
Fayette County man admits to owning 1,189 images of child pornography
A Uniontown man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Wednesday to possessing materials depicting the sexual exploitation of minors after investigators confiscated his computers containing 1,189 downloaded images of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady said Jason A. Early, 41, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior Judge Donetta...
Cops: Penn Township man with overdue book fees threatened to shoot up library
A Penn Township man remained in jail this week after police said he threatened to “shoot up” a library because unpaid fines for an overdue book prevented him from using any computers in the county’s library system. Greensburg police charged Boyd N. Klingensmith, 65, with making terroristic threats and possessing...
